Chicago Product Liability Attorney - Article

Lead and Christmas Lights

A recent CNN analysis of four common brands of Christmas lights has found that there is a very high level of surface lead. The lead present in the wiring is at a level that could cause problems for children; however, this is more because there isn’t actually a safe lead exposure level.

Lead is used in Christmas lights to stabilize the plastic covering the wires. It is also used as a form of fire retardant. It isn’t even hidden as manufacturers print warnings on the boxes and bags of Christmas lights to serve as a warning.

The lights were purchased by CNN’s “American Morning.” Afterwards, the show asked an independent testing organization, Quantex Laboratories of New Jersey, to check the lights for surface lead. Quantex analyzed three strands of lights from each of the four brands (Wal-Mart, GE, Sylvania, and Philips).

When conducting the tests, the lab followed the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s standard swipe test for lead in polyvinyl chloride products to see how much lead in the cords’ PVC coating comes off on someone’s hands. The same test is used on mini blinds and toys. The four brands tested by Quantex showed surface lead levels in excess of the CPSC’s recommendation of no more than 15 micrograms.

Wal-Mart’s lights had the highest levels of surface lead. Their lights had levels of between 86.6 and 132.7 micrograms. GE’s had surface lead levels from 68 to 109.1 micrograms. Sylvania was between 59 and 70.3 micrograms. Philips had the largest range. One strand came in at 3.2 micrograms while another sample registered 107.2.

Contact a Chicago Product Liability Lawyer

If your child has been injured by lead poisoning from exposure to Christmas lights, contact the Chicago product liability attorneys of Friedman & Bonebrake at 312-466-8200 today.